A CHARNOCK Richard man is hoping to be part of a world record effort, yet to be arranged, to get the most cardiac arrest survivors in one place.

Darren Nicholls had a cardiac arrest in February last year during a couch to 5k training session at Astley Park in Chorley.

An AED (automated external defibrillator) was used after it was installed a few weeks earlier and it delivered a shock.

He had been running with some friends and they carried out CPR until the community first responder arrived and the ambulance.

The 49-year-old was back in his running shoes at the weekend as he took part in the Manchester Asics Marathon on Sunday crossing the line in 3 hours and 57 minutes.

The dad-of-three said: “I am in the best shape of my life. It is 14 months since it happened but I feel like have come through out smelling of roses.

“It went really well and even though it was tough I managed to get through it

“The fact that I have been able to do half marathons and 20 mile runs since my cardiac arrest, it is testament to the people who saved my life.”

The engineer, who is dad to Jodie, 15, Louise, 11 and Brandon, 14, admits he does not remember much about the heart attack and what happened.

He said: “My first memory was feeling like a herd of elephants had ran across my chest from CPR and everyone looked blue like in the film Avatar.

“I remember vividly my surgeon coming to see. He told me how lucky I was to be alive and explained that the people present on the night had done a fantastic job to save my life which included three shocks from the AED stroke defibrillator.”

Mr Nicholls admits he has been on an amazing journey in the last 14 months.

He said: “Cardiac rehab went extremely well and they asked me to do next couch to 5k programmes which was mainly walking.

“I completed my first 5k run on that programme then in August I did the Blackpool 5k and I managed to do that in 10 minutes.”

He also completed various half marathons on his way to doing the Manchester marathon at the weekend.

He said: “In future I am looking forwards to maintaining my present level of fitness by attending sprint triathlons over short distances.”